Adventure Comics Vol 1 49
Antagonists: * Kidnap Gang Leader ** his Gang of Kidnappers Other Characters: * Dr. Drew * Miss Drew Locations: * ** Tyler's Apartment ** Bannerman Chemical Items: * Vehicles: * Gang's Airplane | Writer2_1 = Ed Winiarski | Penciler2_1 = Ed Winiarski | Inker2_1 = Ed Winiarski | StoryTitle2 = Barry O'Neill: "Trap for Fang Gow" | Synopsis2 = Barry O'Neill and Inspector LeGrand are urgently trying to come up with a plan for finding and finishing their long-time nemesis Fang Gow. Barry believes they may be able to use Fang Gow's greed against him, by planting false information that French Intelligence was seeking men with his abilities, for a hefty fee. LeGrand's men get that story into circulation in the Paris underworld. Elsewhere in the same city, Fang Gow is in negotiations with a foreign government's representative, who also offers large sums of money, and who wants O'Neill and LeGrand dead. Later that day, Barry and LeGrand visit a Munitions Plant, where one of the workers is trying to talk his way past the gate guards, complaining that he feels "too ill" to work. Barry is suspicious of the employee's behavior and sends LeGrand to question the on-site doctor, prompting the "sick" man to pull out a gun and threaten them. Barry rushes rushes in and smacks the gun out of his hand, then quickly subdues him. The man admits that he works for Fang Gow and has planted a bomb in the factory. Barry and LeGrand force him to take them to the bomb's location, knowing that the device's timer has less than ten minutes remaining, and no off-switch. The duo grab the bomb and race to their car, hoping to get the device as far away from the city as they can so no innocent lives would be lost. Very soon, an explosion is seen, far off on the hillside by the factory employees, and by Fang Gow's agent, who assumes his master's enemies have finally met their demise. But Barry O'Neill and Inspector LeGrand had managed to be out of the car before the blast. Back at the French Intelligence Office, one of LeGrand's spies informs the Inspector that he had followed the bomber back to Fang Gow's hideout. They follow the spy across town, to a dimly lit room, somewhere beneath Paris, where Fang Gow is congratulating his agent for the destruction of his two foes. Barry and LeGrand burst into the hideout, and start shooting at the criminal mastermind, but Fang Gow is standing behind a plate of bullet-proof glass, having a good laugh at their expense. But his mocking laugh snaps off into a shout of rage, as Fang Gow turns on his own man and shoots him in cold blood, for failing in his assignment and leading his enemies to him. The thug doesn't die right away, but limps over to the wall, and grabs the control lever for the glass partition, and opens it. Barry and the inspector rush in, but once again Fang Gow has slipped past them, through a steel door. Clearly to them, this is not over. | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * ** his bomb-planter Other Characters: * LeGrand's Spies Locations: * ** Munitions Factory ** French Intelligence Office ** Underground Hideout | Writer3_1 = Jerry Siegel | Penciler3_1 = Chad Grothkopf | Inker3_1 = Chad Grothkopf | StoryTitle3 = Federal Men: "Crime of a Criminologist" | Synopsis3 = Nikola Lazzaro pays a visit to the home of wealthy manufacturer Gabriel Torrence, to advise him that Mr. Torrance is being indicted on tax evasion, based on the testimony of his former book keeper, Mortimer Kale, who was fired a week before. Lazzaro offers his service, to "get rid of" the former employee, for only a thousand dollars. A deal is made and Lazzaro gets to work with an advance of $500 in his pocket. Later that night, at the waterfront, Mortimer Kale grumbles to himself while walking along, his thoughts wrapped up in tomorrow's testimony. He doesn't notice Lazzaro watching him from the shadows, until he steps out of the dark alley, and bumps into Kale. They exchange a few words, then Lazzaro shoves Kale off the edge of the wharf, then leaves without checking whether his victim has died. Luckily for Kale, who can't swim, his jacket catches on a hook, partway down, saving him from drowning. A helpful passerby rescues the panicked man, and drives him to his friend's house to call the F.B.I. Steve Carson questions Mortimer Kale about his upcoming testimony against his former boss, and suspects that Mr. Torrence may have hired someone to silence him. Tapping Torrance's phone lines allows the Bureau to listen in on a call between Torrence and Lazzaro, as they discuss payment for the murder. That's all they need; the police, led by Federal Man Carson, move in to surround Lazzaro's premises, and are met by a hail of gunfire. The police open fire, fatally injuring Lazzaro. As for Torrence, Kale's testimony along with an attempted murder charge, results in him getting a life sentence behind bars. | Appearing3 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * Dr. Nikola Lazzara, Criminologist * Gabriel Torrence, Manufacturer Other Characters: * Mortimer Kale * Local Police | Writer4_1 = Gardner Fox | Penciler4_1 = Creig Flessel | Inker4_1 = Creig Flessel | StoryTitle4 = The Sandman: "Cold Cures and Crime" | Synopsis4 = One evening in New York City, Wesley Dodds drops a coin into a beggar's cup, just before he sees a man tumble into the street, in front of an oncoming car! The vehicle swerves and misses him, but when Wesley and a cop run over to help the man up, they find that he is dead! The beggar sees it too, and sprints away from the scene, prompting Dodds to shadow him. When he disappears into an apartment, Dodds returns home and changes into his alter-ego, the Sandman. He soon discovers that the victim was one of Doctor Lovejoy's assistants, and that he was the second one to die that week. A visit to the Doctor's residence reveals that two thugs, intent on murder, have already sneaked inside and were right this moment creeping up the stairs. A blast from the Sandman's gas gun puts them to sleep. Doctor Lovejoy is grateful, and tells him that he has developed a cure for the common cold. Apparently many people want to steal this, with some killers among them. The Sandman thinks back to the suspicious beggar he saw earlier that day, and decides that it's a good time to return to that apartment. Sandman very stealthily breaks in, gasses the phony beggar to keep him sleeping, then searches the apartment. A jar full of deadly black widow spiders sits on the dresser, and beside it he finds the begging cup from their earlier meeting. Closer inspection reveals a hidden pressure pad, inside the cup, that makes a tiny needle shoot out of the side. Could this have been how the beggar killed that man, with a needle dipped in spider venom? Sandman visits the police station and convinces the Commissioner to order an autopsy on Lovejoy's dead assistant. The results reveal that, yes, there are indeed traces of black widow venom in the dead man's system. Sandman heads back to Dr. Lovejoy's place, knowing that he is still a target for the gangsters. But when he drives up to the house, a trio of thugs jump into a car, with the doctor in their grasp, and speed off. The Sandman cautiously follows them. The kidnappers' vehicle pulls up at a house on the outskirts of the city, and Doctor Lovejoy is pushed inside. The deal is that Lovejoy stays here until he gives them the formula for the cure, and they sell it. Outside, the Sandman has parked his car behind some trees, and stealthily approaches the residence, then climbs one wall, reaches an attic window, and creeps inside. Listening for the doctor's voice, Sandman searches around, until he finds and removes a section of the floor, and peers down into Dr. Lovejoy's tiny room. He pulls Lovejoy to the upper floor, then takes his place. One thug enters the room to check up, gets gassed, but makes enough noise that the other two quickly rush in with their guns raised; Sandman very physically kicks them into slumberland. About then, the Police arrive, because they've been trailing the Sandman. The thugs are arrested, and Dr. Lovejoy asks the Sandman if there is anything he can do to repay him. Wesley sneezes behind his mask, replying that it would help if he could get a prescription for the doctor's cold cure. | Appearing4 = Featured Characters: * Antagonists: * four or more gangsters Other Characters: * Doctor Lovejoy * Lovejoy's 2nd Assistant * Lovejoy's 1st Assistant * Police Commissioner ** Police Locations: * ** Items: * Vehicles: * Sandman's Sedan | Writer5_1 = Albert Sulman | Penciler5_1 = Joseph Sulman | Inker5_1 = Joseph Sulman | StoryTitle5 = Socko Strong: "Mr. Krieger Vanishes" | Synopsis5 = A transcontinental plane carries Socko Strong and Jerry Indutch back to New York from Hollywood. During the flight the stewardess notices that one of the passengers has disappeared! It's noted financier Benjamin Krieger. She worries that he may have fallen out of the hatch that he was seen leaning against earlier. Socko asks the pilots to land, but the ground is too rough for that, and they are too close to their destination to risk a landing now. The local sheriff and his officers from the precinct meet the flight at the Albuquerque Airport, in order to arrest one of the passengers: Ben Krieger, who is wanted for embezzlement! The pilot and cabin crew agree that he was on board, but are unable to account for his absence. The men break off into small groups to comb the region until they find the missing passenger. Socko volunteers to help, over Jerry's protests about missing their connecting flight. The cops loan Socko a spare car, and provide a description: Benjamin Krieger sports a full beard. Searching methodically across the desert, the team splits up to cover more ground, with Socko and Jerry to look along the roadway. Another vehicle approaches and is stopped by Socko, who asks the clean-shaven driver if he has seen anybody around here that looked suspicious. The man says no, and drives away, but Jerry has heard something odd in his dialect, like he had skipped from one regional accent to another in mid-sentence. It was strange, and suspicious, so Jerry calls it in on the detectives' radio channel. Socko follows the car, at a distance, until it arrives at a small cabin. When he gets a chance to snoop around inside, Socko finds a recently used shaving razor. Whether he says so or not, Socko Strong now knows what's going on here. The cabin's owner returns, and Socko and Jerry jump him. They use some bed stuffing to fake up a beard and hold it up to the guy's face. That's that, he now matches the description of Mr. Benjamin Krieger! The sheriff arrives a few moments later, confirms that Strong and Indutch have made the capture, and takes Krieger away in handcuffs. Socko and Jerry are finally able to continue their flight home to New York. | Appearing5 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Jerry Indutch Antagonists: * Benjamin Krieger Other Characters: * Airliner Crew * Albuquerque Police * New Mexico State Police Locations: * ** ** Surrounding Desert | Writer7_1 = Jack Lehti | Penciler7_1 = Jack Lehti | Inker7_1 = Jack Lehti | StoryTitle7 = Steve Conrad, Adventurer: "The Tiger-Men" | Synopsis7 = In India, Steve Conrad and Chang investigate a series of plantation burnings, being done by a local gang known as the Tiger-Men. After another of the local plantations goes up in flames, Steve and Chang get on the trail of the hostile natives, and track them back to their hideout, inside a temple. But when they check out the interior, they find no natives, but several dozen tins of gasoline. Steve and Chang steal as much of this as they can carry. Later that day Conrad and Chang arrive at another plantation, which hasn't been burned yet. Before long, they spy the Tiger-Men in a field of tall grass, waiting for the sun to go down. This would be perfect! He and Chang pour a gasoline trail in the form of a circle, around the natives, and they leave open a small break, near the front, making only one exit from the resulting ring of fire, then light it off. The Tiger-Men found themselves in the center of a roaring blaze, and without thinking about it, the chief and his men ran right out thru the small gap. So that's where Steve and Chang stood and mowed them down with long sturdy pieces of lumber. The smoke from the fire attracts the nearby authorities, and so finally the Tiger-Men are rounded up and arrested. | Appearing7 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Chang Antagonists: * The Tiger-Men Locations: * ** ** Surrounding Jungle | Writer8_1 = Bill Finger | Penciler8_1 = Bob Kane | Inker8_1 = Bob Kane | StoryTitle8 = Rusty and His Pals: "Mansion of Murder: Part 4" | Synopsis8 = The folded up paper turns out to be a map, which leads to an island, somewhere across the sea. Seeking an explanation, Angus starts to glance through his late uncle's diary, a look of surprise on his face as he rereads the entry to Rusty and his friends. :A few years ago, a traveling circus where John Rankin was working at the time had found itself stranded without money in a strange country. It was during this time when Rankin first met Tino the dwarf, Karl the strong man, and Zoroff the lion tamer. Becoming partners, they had started calling themselves the "Unholy Four", and plotted a way to make some money in the primitive land. And then, while touring the country one day, the four of them heard the sound of drums echoing through the jungle. Following the sound through the brush, they sight upon a group of natives worshipping a jewel encrusted golden idol. It was their ticket to fortune. With a few quick gunshots the natives were dealt with, and the "Unholy Four" made off with the idol in their possession! But later that night, in an act of betrayal, Rankin stole away with the idol while his comrades slept. It was too big for him to carry around, though, so he decided to hide it away somewhere and draw a map so he can find it later. As Angus finishes reading, Rusty and the others become excited at the prospect of a search for this hidden idol, that is sought by natives and thieves alike. And as they make their way down the passage, Angus and the three boys discover a schooner, tied to a hidden dock, left behind by the departed John Rankin. However, as they were packing to leave, Tubby spots a movement by the window, and shouts a warning to his comrades. Natives are climbing into the house! | Appearing8 = Featured Characters: * * Specs * Tubby Supporting Characters: * Angus McHeather * John Rankin Antagonists: * Natives * Tino * Karl * Zoroff | Writer9_1 = Bart Tumey | Penciler9_1 = Bart Tumey | Inker9_1 = Bart Tumey | StoryTitle9 = Anchors Aweigh: "On the Track of Serge Arno" | Synopsis9 = Don Kerry and Red Murphy are on the trail of foreign agent, Serge Arno. Coming to an old Spanish inn that Serge is known to frequent, the two friends disguise themselves as laborers and head inside for a stakeout. It isn't long before Serge appears, but when Don and Red try to apprehend him they find that he isn't alone, and are soon forced by two armed thugs to drop their guns. With Don and Red tied up in the back seat, Arno and his hired goons take his car and drive off down a deserted road, deep into the jungle. When they've gone far enough, Serge stops the vehicle and walks off through the brush, saying he wants to make sure that everything is ready for their demise. Red wants to try and escape, but Don comes up with a plan when he notices the men that Serge hired are not mentioned in the reports, meaning they must be new. First he tries to explain to them that they were working for a known criminal, but they reply that as long as the pay is good, they don't care. Playing on their greed, Don then tells them about the reward Arno on Arno's head, which is far more than what he was paying them. The deal is made, Don and Red are untied, but right at the wrong moment, Serge Arno returns, before either of them can retrieve their firearms. Arno has the drop on all of them, and marches everybody into the jungle at gunpoint. He's got something to show them. A large pit has been dug out of the jungle; poisonous snakes are slithering around on the bottom of it. Serge's deal: each of them should cross through the pit, and if they made it to the other end, they are free to go. First one in is Arno's own back-stabbing henchman; the snakes waste no time in finishing him. The next ex-henchman in manages to run for the other side, and has almost climbed up the slope to the top, when a snake nails him in the foot. Sneering, Serge decides to retrieve and wear the fallen crook's boots for himself, not wishing to let a fine pair go to waste. Red Murphy goes next, while Don pleads for this mad game to stop! Red nearly makes it all the way out, when a snake leaps up and bites him on the neck! Red falls, Don yells, and Serve laughs. Then Serge is pointing his gun at Don, but suddenly his body seizes up and he collapses, dead. Kerry works his way out of his ropes, and rushes to Red's side. Amazingly, his friend is alive, and merely startled by the snake. A close inspection revealed that it was the same creature that had bit into the hired goon's boot, breaking its fangs in the process. But apparently the fangs still had some venom in them, when Serge slipped the boots on. | Appearing9 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Red Murphy Antagonists: * Serge Arno Other Characters: * Pablo * Juan | Writer10_1 = Gardner Fox | Penciler10_1 = Jack Lehti | Inker10_1 = Jack Lehti | StoryTitle10 = Cotton Carver: "At the Polar Zone" | Synopsis10 = Cotton Carver and Deela lay unconscious amid the Arctic snow, unconscious from exhaustion after their harrowing climb, out from the underground world. In a matter of minutes, frostbite is likely to set in, but right then, an earthquake flings them down the mountain, in opposite directions from each other! Cotton lands on one side of the mountain, with only a few scrapes and bruises, and immediately sets out in search of Deela. He still has his gun, and it soon comes in handy, as he is able to kill a polar bear, and flay off its hide. Meanwhile, a band of Arctic traders come across Deela, barely conscious, lying in the cold. Red Mike, the leader, notices the necklace of emeralds around her neck and, tempted by the fortune it would bring if sold, rips it off her person. Deela wakes up in a panic, calling Cotton's name, asking the other men what happened to him, but they don't answer. She is tied tightly and placed in the group's sled, rushing along the mountain path, as Red Mike explains that she'll be going with them until she tells him where they can get more of the precious jewels like the ones on the bracelet. Far behind them, Cotton Carver retraces his steps to the mountain top, then down the other slope where Deela fell, and then started following the trail left by Deela, across the chasm and down the other side. When he reaches the bottom, he kneels to inspect a set of tracks left in the snow, and discovers a piece of the gemstone Deela wore around her neck. Knowing how valuable the emeralds would be to anybody seeing them, Cotton grows more concerned, and hastens along, following the tracks and worrying about Deela. A few hours later, Carver finds the traders' camp. where lookouts are stationed. He will need a plan, if he wants to get Deela out of there. Inside the tent, one of Red Mike's men is claiming to have seen a great white bear that walked on two legs! He is frantic and panicky, and making everybody else nervous too, which does not sit well with Red Mike. He sends his crew outside with their guns, to keep an eye out for whatever might be skulking around. Up above on a snowy mound, Cotton waits and watches, and counts gunmen, before starting his next move. Cloaking himself in the bear skin, he waits until all are present, and then steps into view, growling. The traders completely panic and run off in every direction, yelling about the bear spirit; Red Mike is powerless to stop them. Amid the commotion, Cotton finds Deela, tied up in the sled, and undoes her bindings and sends her away to safety. In the camp, Red Mike is furious at his gang's craven desertion. He sets out to investigate on his own, exactly as Cotton has hoped. Out on the snow, Carver gets up behind Mike, startles him, jumps him, disarms him, and punches him off his feet. Carver tells the greedy villain that he's going to turn him in to the authorities for kidnapping. Mike gives up, but as Deela comes running up to rejoin Cotton, another quake shakes the ground beneath their feet. All three are tossed into an opening chasm, their yells echo across the walls as they fall to their unknown fate. | Appearing10 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Deela Antagonists: * Red Mike ** his cowardly henchmen Locations: * | Notes = * Published by Detective Comics, Inc. * Tick-Tock Tyler the Hour-Man: ** "The Disappearance of Dr. Drew" is reprinted in The JSA All Stars Archives #1 ** The reader is not told who the kidnappers are, what kind of formula the kidnappers are looking for, what Dr. Drew's field of science is, what kind of ray gun that one crook had, or where he even got a ray gun. * Sandman: "Cold Cures and Crime" is reprinted in the * Also appearing in this issue of Adventure Comics was: ** AIRecords by Terry Gilkison ** "A Sleepy Capture" (text story) by Frank Thomas | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }}